Anybody else receive one to fill out and return to the DNR? I got one a few days ago, have filled it out and mailing it in this morning. There are some very interesting questions on it. I do hope they take this survery seriously!

What are they asking CM?

Sections include questions of what weapons were used deer hunting last season, how many days were spent deer hunting, days preparing including practicing, scouting, etc. How many deer did I harvest in the last 5 years and were they bucks or does, how many years I have hunted, do I trophy hunt, etc. I sense some of these types were to get a feel of the person responding.

Other questions regarded how I feel about high fenced hunting operations, do I hunt in other states(if so, in what states) or even Illinois counties. An interesting section asked several questions about handgun hunting.....for example, should handguns be included in the firearm seasons.

Another section dealt with CWD and West Nile disease. Several questions about my perceptions of CWD such as would I continue to hunt and eat deer in counties that tested positive for CWD for 1 deer, 10 deer, 20 deer, 50 deer or more. Would I hunt in another county that did not test positive for CWD if mine did.

An interesting but small section asked questions about the deer population, what I would deem as the ideal buck to doe ratio, etc. Have I heard of the Quality Deer Management Association, how do I feel about it, etc.

Have I lost any hunting land and if so how.

Blank pages were left at the end of the small booklet of questions for the responder to write any ideas he/she has on how to improve deer hunting in Illinois.

There were many more questions in those sections but I cannot remember them all right now.

I recieve a Hunters Log Survey last hunting season from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, asking me to track the # of hours spent hunting,What times of day, what county, #s of animals seen and species seen,with harvest totals included.
It was kinda neat to keep a daily log of my Bow Hunting,
I havent seen the survey that your speaking of though.

I have done the daily hunt log also for the state-2 years. I have seen nothing on this one.

I havent seen this one either. The log you guys are referring to would be cool, but I have not been sent one.
I have done similar surveys for WI, but not IL.

I have received no survey. Not this year or in past years, either.

I do think that it is good that it seems like someone is atleast intrested.

One thing I did receive (this morning) was a letter from Illinois DNR saying:

DEAR SUCCESSFUL HUNTER:

CONGRATULATIONS ON HARVESTING AN ILLINOIS WHITE-TAIL! WE ARE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE EXPERIENCED AS A RESULT OF THE CHECK STATION RUNNING OUT OF PINS. ENCLOSED IS A 2002 FIREARM DEER PIN AS A MEMENTO OF THE OCCASION AND TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION NECESSARY TO THE SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF THE ILLINOIS DEER HERD. WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE SUCCESS OF OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROJECT AND THE COOPERATION WE HAVE RECEIVED ROM SUCCESSFUL HUNTERS LIKE YOURSELF.

AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS!

I only didn' t get a pin for one of the deer I checked in, so it was cool that they did remember for guys who only shot one and only had a single opportunity. I took my 11 yr old this season and it was his first time at deer camp so you know who' s got a button now.

We' re getting ready for next season already. I have my trailer loaded with heavy timbers to make a small foot bridge on the property I hunt, to go over a pretty well worn creek bed that is gettin deep. Also have a giant piece of PVC drain pipeabout 4 feet long and 60" (?) diameter to be made into a nice ground blind. I drilled & tapped inside of it, fabbed some brackets and mounted a couple seats and a small " storage box/shelf" unit in it. The " blind" will be set in the ground about 12" - 18" deep, between two large fields off to the side of the tractor path. The area we choose is already in a depression so this thing should sit down pretty good and low. I sprayed the whole thing, inside and out with black, gray and brown industrial epoxy. I' ll finish it off by wrapping it with some of the camo burlap after it' s set in.

I shotgun deer hunt in Johnson county & occasionally Williamson county too.

With bow, I could be just about anywhere in the state.

Let' s hear from more Illinois deer hunters!!!


Uncle Matt (in IL)